Centrifugal pump

ABSTRACT

A centrifugal pump comprising a pump housing in which an impeller is rotatably supported and wherein the impeller is formed with recesses on opposite side faces which are offset from the axis of rotation of the impeller a substantial distance relative to the radius of the impeller so that fluid received from the input ports of the pump will be subjected to substantial centrifugal force resulting in a pump of high efficiency. The recesses formed in the impeller are fluidly connected to an output groove formed about the periphery of the impeller and the housing which mates with output ports.

United States Patent Franck et al. Oct. 2, 1973 [54] CENTRIFUGAL PUMPl,768,24l 6/1930 Ferguson .1 4l5/2l3 T [75] Inventors: Max E. Franck,Waterloo, lowa; Z1322 a zi g fij" 132; Harry F Hem", deceased, law of3,649,!31 3/1972 Hagemann 415 213 T Sumner, Iowa; by Juliette R. VConverse, executrix, Sumner, lowa Primary j Husar [73] Assignee: HeislerManufacturing Company, Atwmey carlton et Waterloo, Iowa [22] Filed: Mar.6, 1972 [57] K P A centnfugal pump compnsmg a pump housmg 1n H PP231,811 which an impeller is rotatably supported and wherein theimpeller is formed with recesses on opposite side [52] us. CL 415/98415/53 T HS/I99 T faces which are offset from the axis of rotation ofthe 415/213 impeller a substantial distance relative to the radius of 51Int. Cl. F0ld 3/02 the impeller that fluid received fmm i1MPOrts [58]Field of Search I I l I I t I 415/97 98 53 T of the pump will besubjected to substantial centrifugal T 1 force resulting in a pump ofhigh efficiency. The recesses formed in the impeller are fluidlyconnected to an [56] Reierences Cited output groove formed about theperiphery of the impel- UNITED STATES PATENTS ler and the housing whichmates with output ports. 3,063,673 11/1962 Johnson 415/98 8 Claims 5niawing gums l ,728,204 9/l929 Falla 415/97 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relatesin general to centrifugal fluid pumps and in particular to a pump ofhigh efficiency.

2. Description of the Prior Art Centrifugal pumps have been known formany years in which the input port supplies fluid to the impelleradjacent its axis of rotation and the fluid is accelerated by rotationof the impeller and discharge to the outlet port. Such pumps normallymust be primed to start them which means that the pump housing must befilled with fluid when the pump is started from a standstill. Thisrequires a substantial amount of power due to the resistance of thefluid as the pump is started. Also, pumps of this type require longimpeller blades because of the relatively large distance between theinput and output ports of the pump.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an improvedcentrifugal pump in which the impeller is rotatably supported in a pumphousing and in which the impeller is formed with recesses in itsopposite face toward the outer periphery and aligned with inletpassages. A groove is formed about the periphery of the impeller andeach of the recesses are connected to the groove by a passageway suchthat fluid in the recesses will pass through the tubes to the groove dueto centrifugal force. A groove is also formed in the housing in generalalignment with the groove in the impeller and outlet passageways arefluidly connected to this groove so as to carry the discharge from thepump. Inlet passages are mounted in the face of the housing on eitherside of the impeller and supply fluid to the recesses in the impeller.The recesses and inlet fluid is supplied to the impeller at a positionsubstantially removed from the axis of rotation of the impeller and thusa substantial pressure will be produced by the pump and also the pumpcan be started without being primed as is required by conventionalcentrifugal pumps.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the following description of certain preferred embodimentsthereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings althoughvariations and modifications may be effected without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concept of the disclosure and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a planview of the pump ofthis invention; FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the pump of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partially cut-away side view of the impeller; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line V-V of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a motormounted on suitable base plates 11 and 12 and which has an output shaft13 connected to the centrifugal pump 14 of the invention. The pump has ahousing 16 which is supported on a suitable base 20 connected to asuitable support. A side plate 23 of the housing 16 is formed with inputports 18, 19, 21 and 22 as shown in FIG. 2. The end plate 23 isconnected to the housing 16 by suitable bolts 26, 27, 28, 29 and 31.

A rotor 32 is mounted within the housing 16 as shown in FIG. 3 and islocked to the drive shaft 13 by a key 46 which is mounted in a keyway 44formed in the shaft 13 and the impeller 32. Washers 47 and 48 aremounted in the shaft 13 on either side of the impeller 32 to prevent itfrom moving longitudinally on the shaft 13. The housing 16 and end plate23 is formed with suitable bearings 34, 36, 37 and 38 for rotatablysupporting the shaft 13 and impeller 32.

The housing 16 is formed with input ports such as 39,40 and 41 as shownin FIGS. 1 and 3.

The pair of output ports 42 and 43 are formed in the housing 16 and arefluidly connected with a groove 61 formed in the housing 16 about theperiphery of the impeller 32. The impeller 32 is formed with a groove 51which aligns with the groove 61 in the housing 16.

As best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, a plurality of recesses 53 are formedon a'frrst side of the impeller 32 adjacent the outer periphery thereofand passageways 52 extend from each of the recesses 53 to the groove 51formed about the outer periphery of the impeller. The recesses 53 areseparated by partitions 71. A second plurality of recesses 56 are formedon the second side of the impeller 32 and are separated by partitions 72from each other. Passageways 54 extend from the recesses 56 to thegroove 51 about the periphery of the impeller 32.

It is to be particularly noted that the recesses 53 and 56 are formedadjacent the outer periphery of the impeller 32 and that the input ports18, 19, 21 and 22, 39 and 41 are positioned so as to supply fluid to therecesses 53 and 56, respectively.

The fact that the recesses 53 and 56 are positioned a substantialdistance from the shaft 13 insures that the maximum centrifugal forcewill be applied to fluid within the recesses 53 and 56 as the impeller32 rotates and a pump of high efficiency results.

In operation, the inlet conduits 18, 19, 21 and 22, 39 and 41 areconnected to a suitable inlet fluid supply and the outlet conduits, 42and 43, are connected to a suitable outlet system. It is to be realizedthat although only three inlet conduits are illustrated on the left siderelative to FIG. 1 of the housing 16 that generally the same number ofinlet tubes will be connected to both sides of the housing of the pump.The motor 10 is started to drive the impeller 32 and as fluid issupplied to the inlet tubes it will be distributed in inlet headergrooves 76 and 77 formed in the housing 16 and the cover plate 23adjacent the recesses 56 and 53, respectively, and the inlet fluid willbe furnished to the recesses 53 and 56. The impeller32 will subject thefluid to high centrifugal force due to the rotation of the impeller andthe fluidwill pass from the recess 53 through the passageway 52 to thegrooves 51 and 61 and out the outlet tubes 42 and 43. Simultaneously,fluid will pass from the inlet tubes 39 and 41, the header.46, into therecesses 56, through the passageway 54, to the grooves 51 and 61 and outthe output conduits 42 and 43.

A pump constructed according to this invention operates without beingprimed and produces a very high head. The groove 51 serves to relievepressure in the pump.

The outer periphery of the impeller 32 has a rim 80 as shown it is seenthat this invention provides a pump of novel characteristics andalthough it has been described with respect to preferred embodiments itis not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made thereinwhich are within the full intent and scope as defined by the appendedclaims.

We claim as our invention: 1. A centrifugal pump comprising: a housingformed with inlet and outlet ports; I an impeller with a drive shaftrotatably supported in a said housing; said impeller generallydisc-shaped and formed with i a first plurality of depressions formed onone side thereof and which are spaced a substantial distance from theaxis of rotation and said depressions fluidly connected to an inletport; and a first plurality of passageways extending from each of saiddepressions to the rim of said impeller, an outlet recess formed betweenthe rim of said impeller and said housing and said outlet port fluidlyconnected to said recess. 2. A centrifugal pump according to claim 1wherein said impeller is formed with a second plurality of depressionsformed on the second side thereof and spaced a substantial distance fromthe axis of rotation, a second inlet port fluidly connected to saidsecond plurality of depressions, and a second plurality of passagewaysextending from said second plurality of depressions to said outletrecess.

3. A centrifugal pump according to claim 2 wherein said first and secondplurality of depressions are positioned offset from each other.

4. A centrifugal pump according to claim 3 wherein said firstpassageways are formed partially in partitions between said secondplurality of depressions.

5. A centrifugal pump according to claim 4 wherein said secondpassageways are formed partially in partiand fluidly connected to saidoutlet recess.

1. A centrifugal pump comprising: a housing formed with inlet and outletports; an impeller with a drive shaft rotatably supported in a saidhousing; said impeller generally disc-shaped and formed with a firstplurality of depressions formed on one side thereof and which are spaceda substantial distance from the axis of rotation and said depressionsfluidly connected to an inlet port; and a first plurality of passagewaysextending from each of said depressions to the rim of said impeller, anoutlet recess formed between the rim of said impeller and said housingand said outlet port fluidly connected to said recess.
 2. A centrifugalpump according to claim 1 wherein said impeller is formed with a secondplurality of depressions formed on the second side thereof and spaced asubstantial distance from the axis of rotation, a second inlet portfluidly connected to said second plurality of depressions, and a secondplurality of passageways extending from said second plurality ofdepressions to said outlet recess.
 3. A centrifugal pump according toclaim 2 wherein said first and second plurality of depressions arepositioned offset from each other.
 4. A centrifugal pump according toclaim 3 wherein said first passageways are formed partially inpartitions between said second plurality of depressions.
 5. Acentrifugal pump according to claim 4 wherein said second passagewaysare formed partially in partitions between said first plurality ofdepressions.
 6. A centrifugal pump according to claim 2 comprising aplurality of inlet ports formed in said housing on said one side of saidimpeller and fluidly connected to said first plurality of depressions.7. A centrifugal pump according to claim 6 comprising a second pluralityof inlet ports formed in said housing on second side of said impellerand fluidly connected to said second plurality of depressions.
 8. Acentrifugal pump according to claim 2 comprising a plurality of outletports formed in said housing and fluidly connected to said outletrecess.